It was a month ago that the H7N3 avian influenza crisis started in the state of Jalisco in Mexico and a little more than 20 days after the notification to the World Organization for Animal Health.
Previously, I praised the animal health authorities and the poultry industry in Mexico, for the quick response and because they set off a series of measures to control and eradicate the outbreak, and thus protect the Mexican industry and the global industry as well. We have reported that there was a huge team of people working in the state and now vaccine production by Mexican laboratories is on the way.
But nervousness continues to affect, for the simple reason that poultry producers in the area are suffering huge financial losses due to mortality and stamping out. In addition to this critical situation, exports of eggs, and in general the movement of poultry products within the country and beyond has been affected, impacting even more negatively to the economy. Bear in mind that the state of Jalisco is the largest poultry producer in the country (52 percent of eggs and 7 percent broilers). But beware: elimination or removal of 2.5 million birds represents not more than 2 percent of poultry production in the state, so let us have a clear perspective of the global picture.
According to reports from the National Poultry Producers Association of Mexico, vaccines will be ready later this month of July or early August. There are many who believe that the process has been slow and that vaccines should already be there, but it appears that the authorities and the association are working in accordance with regulations and in fact the response has been swift, as manufacturing vaccines is not done overnight.
Another important aspect is that of rumors spreading around. It is said that the presence of avian influenza was already known for a long time, that authorities have turned a blind eye and that this has led to the high pathogenic mutation. These rumors are circulating even internationally. But they are still just that. Rumors do not help at all, and so far this assumption can not be verified. Apparently.
